Today, great customer service is not only good business strategy; it is the biggest and most important difference between successful and mediocre companies. Once you’ve put together an A-team of the most suitable candidates, train them to live the core values of the company. A truly empowered support team is one that is consistently successful. All employees, including those not directly interacting with the customers, need to do their jobs well in order to support those who support the customer. Hyken also says that most companies view a purchase by the customer as a transaction rather than an interaction. Every employee needs to be trained in customer support, so that they get a feel for what it means to be talking to customers, with their myriad problems and queries. Great customer service can only come from happy employees who work in an environment that is fun and conducive to personal growth. No wonder, then, that companies that keep their employees happy are the ones that make more profits. You need to be fully prepared to answer questions via phone, live chat, social media, email, or a help section on your website or app. A timely email or phone call after a sale or the resolution of a service issue will drive home the message that the company cares about customer satisfaction.
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“The only right way to run a company — and the most profitable way — is to saturate your company with the voice of the customer,” wrote Richard C. Whiteley, in his groundbreaking business classic The Customer Driven Company. As one of the most sought after speakers in the field of customer service, Whiteley couldn’t have put it more accurately or succinctly.
Today, great customer service is not only good business strategy; it is the biggest and most important difference between successful and mediocre companies. Failure to respond to the voice of the customer only serves to increase their frustration, ultimately leading to the downfall of a product, brand or business.
So can businesses take a customer-first approach and consistently exceed their needs and expectations? The answer is yes. And here’s how to go about it.
Hire motivated employees.
It is essential to hire employees with not only the right skills but also the right attitude. When hiring, especially for customer service, find out if the candidate has the innate impulse to help others and the ability to express genuine empathy.
Create real-life customer support scenarios, including crises, to evaluate how candidates respond to it. Bear in mind that their reactions might vary wildly, depending on your products, services or industry. A positive attitude and alignment with your core values, as well as empathy and a genuine desire to help are strong factors to look for in a potential employee.
Train and empower your support teams.
Once you’ve put together an A-team of the most suitable candidates, train them to live the core values of the company. Make them use your products so you’re sure they understand them inside out. A truly empowered support team is one that is consistently successful. True empowerment comes when the team is given the flexibility to resolve a customer’s issue in any way possible. While it may work around your guidelines to achieve customer satisfaction, it may not work around your values.
Empowerment is the key to the almost fanatical customer service of companies like Zappos. From 10-hour calls, to a rep running to get a pair of shoes from a rival store to hand deliver to a customer because the company ran out, stories of jaw-dropping customer service stories are common there. Every customer service rep at Zappos is inculcated with a strong customer- and team-oriented company culture.
Deputize every employee a customer support agent.
In his book The Amazement Revolution, Shep Hyken…
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